Liquid fuel burner of the retort class



July 25, 1950 M. RESEK ETAL LIQUID FUEL BURNER OF THE RETORT CLASS Filed Dec.

2 SheetsSheet 1 w w m mw w. 4 w J w w w 4! 4 y wn m 1 July 25, 1950 Filed Dec.

M. RESEK ETAL LIQUID FUEL BURNER OF THE RETORT CLASS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS,

' patented July 2 5, 1950 LIQUID FUEL BURNER OF THE RETORT CLASS Marc Resek, Cleveland Heights, and Harold Kiefer, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Perfection Stove Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 16, 1944, S-erial No. 568,426

16 Claims.

' i-This invention relates, generally, to liquid fuel Jwiirningapparatus; and-more particularly, in one of its phases, to a liquid fuel burner of the retort 1 e invention was conceived and developed in oonnection withan engine heater characterized hecember lfi, 1943, and matured as Patent No. 2338, 823,issued/March 30, 1948.

Among th'e objects of the present invention is the-provision of'liqu-id fuel burning apparatus may battery-conveniently placed in conforoperation and ignited from a remote louatiomsas tromth'e' driver's compartment of a v'khicleoin wliich the'heater is installed, and that may-likewise be shut down with equal facility mlpiaced'iinina'ctive and protected condition .miwhichtit remains until the next operation.

I :Anotherwobject is' to provide, in apparatus of 2 th hove-described"character, means by which l' supply to the burner is'automatically shut en the apparatus is placed in inactive con ditiori; and :by which a continual supply of fuel toctneiimain burner is initiated anda measured quaintitytof liquid fuel is automatically delivered to the". pre'heatingburner of "the retort, when the apparatus is placed inacon'dition for operation;

- nether object of'the invention is to provide 2 ai' hi'g l i ly efficient liquid fuel burner of the retort elites that-.is thoroughly reliable and requires the minimum of attention, the same, in its preferred iormgiindud-in-g an'electrical igniter located inside 'the apparatus'in operative relation to the preheating burner to the end that the apparatus maybe set in'ope'ration without having to gain accessto its interior.,

, "0therlobjectsz=-and advantages will appear as we proc'e'ed tosdescribe the invention by reference tb thetaccompanyingdrawings wherein Fig. 1- is anielevationell' view of liquid fuel burning apparatus embodying the invention, this view showing the apparatus in" its shut-down or inactive confli'tion ;il ig;= 2 is anlenlarged-sectional side eleva itiimxof' the apparatus, showing itconditioned, for

m;-,-:Fig.-3is:a-detail of one of the tie bolts by .2 which the combustion chamber, housing and bottom casing member of the burnerare clamped together; Fig. 4 isa plan view oftheliquidfuel feeding and control chamber with the-cover removed; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectionaldet ail-of the reservoir cover and its clamping lever, and Fig. 6 is a similar detail, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

The burner incorporated in the apparatus is of the bowl type, as will appear from Fig. 2. The burner bowl is designated l and has ancannular. top '.wall 2 flanged downwardly about its central opening 3. The bottom 4 of the bowl isdished and formed with a central cylindrical reentrant portion 5 that is open at the top. A wick 6 surrounds the portion 5. The peripheral wall of the bowl is provided with air admitting openings 8, the lowest of which are well above the maximum liquidlevel in the bowl; and in this connection it may be well to explain that liquid .fuel is present in the bowl only when the burner is being primed for starting, as will more fully appear hereinafter.

The burner bowl. I is supported centrally within a cylindrical housing ID, as by brackets l2, and fitting within the upper portion of said housing, inspaced relation to the top wall of the burner bowl, and with .its .fianged edg welded or other- Wise secured to the housing, .is an annular partition l5 that is flanged downwardly about its central opening l6. Said opening is somewhat smaller than, and is concentric with, the opening 3 of the top wall of the burner bowl. An upwardly curled ring-like condensate arrester I! is applied to the partition l5 about said opening 16. An air supply conduit [8 opens into the housing lll-wellbelow the partition I5, but preferablyabove the plane-of the bottom 4 of the bowl.

Slur-mounting the housing It], with its bottom edge sealed within the top of the housing, is a cylindrical combustion chamber 20 having a top wall.2.l provided with a central flue connection 22. A flue .23 isshoWn in Fig. .1 as rising therefrom.

According to the present embodiment, a liquid circulating element or coil 25 is situated within the combustion chamber 20 and is communicatively connected at top and bottom to annular headers 26 and 27, respectively, each header including diametrically opposed fittings 28 and 29. The headers are shown as attached to the peripheral wall of the combustion chamber atone side by screw plugs .30, while an inlet pipe 3| communicateswith the lower header through the fitting 28 thereof, and an outlet pipe 32 communicates with the upper header 26 through its corresponding fitting 28. It is through the pipes 3| and 32 that the liquid circulating element or coil is adapted to be placed in circuit with the cooling system of an internal combustion engine (not shown).

As illustrated more or less diagrammatically in Fig. 1, a centrifugal blower 35, driven by an electric motor 36, supplies air to the burner through the previously mentioned conduit I8. Closing the bottom of the housing I9, with its top sealed thereto is a dished casing member 40, having a relatively small central drain opening 4|. Said opening is surrounded by a flanged collar 42, welded or otherwise secured to the bottom of said casing member. The combustion chamber 20, the housing I0, and the casing member 40 may be secured together by any suitable means, as by the expedient of two or more tie bolts, one of such being shown at 43, in Fig. 3. The bolt extends through'lugs 44 and 45, on the combustion chamber and on the bottom casing member, respectively, so that when the bolts are tightened these two" parts are drawn firmly against the top and bottom of the housing.

Rigidly secured to and rising from the bottom casing member 40 are posts 50 along which are guided apertured lugs I of a support 52 for an electrical igniter 53 that rises through the reentrant portion 5 of the bottom of the burner bowl and is disposed with its igniter wire or coil 54 in igniting relation to the top of the wick 6. It is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the igniter in detail, since the details constitute no part of the present invention, although we may explain briefly that it comprises two posts of conductive material that are insulated from each other and by the upper ends of which the igniter coil 54 is supported and to which its opposite ends are electrically connected. Such an igniter, in precisely 1e same environment, is disclosed in the above mentioned application Serial No. 514,468.

Located centrally within the combustion chamber 20, with its rounded lower end in rather closely spaced relation to the opening I6 of the partition I5, is a retort 60, shown as havingadjacent the bottom thereof a lateral and. downwardly inclined extension M. A vapor delivery tube 62, having its upper end spaced only a short distance below the closed top of the retort 69, ex-

tends downwardly through a central, flanged opening in the bottom of the retort, and terminates at its lower end within the burner bowl, desirably centrally thereof and about half way between the top and bottom of the bowl.

Suitably supported adjacent the burner struc-, ture above described, and at a rather definite elevation with respect thereto, is a box-like container or chamber 65, to the top edge of which is sealed a cover 66. The cover is shown as constructed to provide a downwardly opening channel about the edge thereof, and said channel contains a packing gasket 61 that bears against the top of the peripheral wall of the chamber; and the cover is drawn down firmly upon the chamber by'screws 68 that are threaded into ears B9 on the interior of the chamber.

Liquid fuel is supplied to the container or chamber 05 from a'reservoir having a filling opening II. Said opening is surrounded by a flange 72 against whieh'a cover 13, provided with a gasket for engagement with said flange, is adapted to be held tightly by a spring when a lever I6, to which the cover I3 is loosely connected, is depressed and held down by the engage- 4 ment of a hook 'l'l with a pin I8. The pin 18 is supported by ears I8 that are carried by the reservoir I0. The end of the lever I6 remote from the hook I? is pivoted on a pin that is supported by ears 8| that rise from the reservoir. A lost motion connection betweenthe cover I3 and lever 76 is made by means of a U-shaped element 83 (see Fig. 5) that is secured in a manner presently to be described to the cover 13 and the side branches of which element extend up along the opposite sides of a channel member that constitutes the lever it. Said side branches of the element 83 are slotted to receive the ends of a pin 84 that extends through the lever and between which and the base of the U-shaped element 83 the previously mentioned spring 15 is compressed. The element 83 is secured to the cover I3 by a bolt-like member 35 to which a nut 8'! is applied. Pivoted to the lower end of the member 86 is a rod 88 that is guided through an aperture in the bottom of a cup-like screen 89 that is attached to the top wall of the reservoir I0 aboutthe filling opening II thereof. l

The bottom of the reservoir I0 has an opening 98 in axial alignment with the aforesaid filling opening II, and secured to the bottom of the reservoir about the opening 90 is a plate 9|. on the under side of which is an annular valve seat 92. A gasket 93 is compressed between the platexBI and the bottom of the reservoir, and within the radius of the valve seat 92, the plate SM is provided with a series of ports 94 that communicate with the interior of the'reservoir through the opening 90. Reciprocable within a central aper ture of the plate 9| is the stem 95 of a disk-like valve 96 which has a gasket 91 applied to its upper side that is arranged to engage the annular valve seat 92 when the valve disk 96 is elevated by a spring 98 that is compressed between" the valve disk and the bottom of a cup-like receptacle 99 whose flanged top engages the peripheral portion of the plate SI and is secured with said plate to the bottom of the reservoir by screws I00. The valve stem 95 has, at its upper end, a wide flat head IOI for engagement by the previously mentioned rod 88.

In'the drawing, the hook IT by which the lever I6 is normally held down is shown as released from the pin 18, thus permitting the spring 98 to seat the valve disk 96 and thus close the ports 94. The lever 16 may now be swung upwardly to further elevate the cover 13 and permitthe reservoir to be filled with liquid fuel. After the reservoir has been filled the lever 16 is depressed so as to force the cover I3 against the flange. 12 under the tension of the spring I5 and the hook I! is engaged beneath the pin I8. The depression of the cover, and consequently the rod 08, unseats the valve 96 and opens communication through the ports 94 between the reservoir an the receptacle 99.

A pipe I05, connected to the .bottom of the receptacle 99, extends downwardly and laterally beneath the chamber 65 where it has connection with the lower end of a valve casing I06 (Fig. 2) that is threaded into a boss 10! on the bottom of the chamber, the joint, being rendered leakproof by a gasket I08. The central cylindrical chamber I09 of the valve casing I06 communicates with the interior of the chamber through a lateral port H0, and with the previously mentioned pipe I05 through a port I I I, the latter 'being surrounded at its upper end by a valve seat wherewith a needle valve II2 engages when the latter is depressed against the tension of a spring I At its upper-end saiiflfstein-is'pivoted to a leve'ri I5 that is fulcrumed ona pin l-Fishovrniin Fig; 4 as 'su-pported- W' a bracket FI Fth-at extends from one ofthe siiie walls cf the chamber-655 Wis-evident from" th'eforegoing that when the filling? opening of the -'-reservoii" l is closed by me-eover =rz;, the reservoir is open communi cationwith the chamber bd. In order to maintain dz-substantia lly constantliq d level the compart1!renti5f the- =chamber "'6 to -w-hich the liquid la d'e'hvered'through the pipe I we employ Manes-air =lbck' I for the reservoir HI; or, other words, a barometricallycon trolled "liquid 'rrcmthe 'reservcir to themhamber fifi the mechanics-of which wi-ll now'be described. Supported-"in inverted position within the chamber 05 'ls 'a relativelydeep cup I Z'B that communicates near its upperen'd with thetopportionof the reservoir through a "pipe -I 2] When "theliquid fisesfiwithin the-chamber B5 suificiently "to seal thefopen*bottomof the cup IZil it will prevent the entrance of air to said cup and conseto the top of the reservoir ill-thereby to preventfur'ther' flow -01 liquid by gravity from the reservoir" 'IB to -the char nbe'r- 5'5 until the liquid the chamber drops below the bottom 'of the cup l flli "'The'plan'e" of the perimeter of the cup l z I! s"sli'ghtly* inclined to i the horizontalto msu'rainsta'nt release of the air -lockwhenthe l'llqiuid level drops below the high side of the cup; a"sdthirwise-*that -is; if the cp'enend of the cup were horizbfital there' would -bea tendency for the liquid to cling to the cup.

meinteri'or' cf -the cont iner -or- "chamber *65 s dividedbyapartition I25 into, a receiving com-- partment *to-Which-th liquid fuel is "delivered throughthdbefore-mentioned pipe Hi5, and a compartment B 'that communicates, through-af-pipef 1 26-; with the lateral extensien fii tifiithe retort EIlysaid-pipe?including-a trap i 21 idiacent i the*"compartnrent B',"and this prevents any slightvapor' pressure that'may be built up wlt'l'ii-n the retort from backing the liquid i-uel intosaid -cbmpartment; Supported astride'the partition! fii bya; wickc'ar'rier I28; isa LJ -s-haped wick I29 of suitable absorbent material. To a laterbil extension ml of the -wick carrier 128 is swivel'ed "the tonend of awi'ck adjusting stem WI that=descerids through a tube 1 3 i rising from th-bottoi'n "oi the chamber 65 a suitable distance above the -maiiimum-"l uidle'vel' inthe compartment A. "The'stem [Hus-threaded througha nut fis -having a lateral bifurcated extension I36 *6) that-cooperates with aguide rail-437. This guide rail i's-supported by -a cylindrical'wall I38 that rises from the bottoni of the chamber a cdnsiderable' distance above the maximum liquid level in the compartment A, and the'purposeciwhich will presently appear. The stem 1:81 rotatable: alridreciprocable in a flanged Gr l ire =spring- Md-holds "thestern "down with the nut ltbengagingthe tube L34 By turning the stm by means o'f the head' htl it'm'ay be ,pqnmwwucsuywim respect tothe nut I I 35 thereby to raise or mwer tne-wiek, threes-h the medium of the-wick 'carrier tzc mhelelevation of 1 the wick "may "be 1 ascertained My reading the graduations -I#21with respect to the lower edge of a cylindrical housing that depends from the bottom of the chamber in substantially -con'- centric rlation to-*-the head M1. By lifting the stern 'l-3- I bymeansof thehea'd Ml against the action-oi thespri-ng 143, the wick' may-be bodily raised sufficiently to arrest the oil feed-as will be more" fullyexplained"hereinafter. During reciprocatio'n of thewick adjusting stem I3l the birurca'tedextension I36of the nut 1%5 traverses theg'uide-rail I31.

The end of thepreviously' mentioned lever 1 55' remote from that to-whichthe stem of the needle valve *I' I2 is pivoted, overhang-s a yielding abutment I '48 that is" supported by the 'extension I 3%! of'the wick' carrier I 28} shown in the form-oi a leaispring; and when the'wick is lifted bodily in :tlienianner previously described for the'purpose oi' shutting oiftheoil feed", "the abutment I 48 engagesand lifts the "overhanging end of the leveni lfi, depressing its-opposite end to seat the valve HZso as to positively-shut off flow of liquid 'fue'l'from the -reservoir I0 tothe chamberBE.

Located within"'andspacedfroin the cylindrical wall 'Ildis'a similarly shaped displacer chamber i553 whic'lr'isnotched at itsupper 'e'dge'to' provide an ova-:rflowlip I5I. 'An annulartrough C that is thus provided between the chamber suand'the wall l'38' -corrnnuni'ca'tes through a pipe Hi3 with thebottomoi theburnerbowl I. Constant communication is established between the compartment'A andthe interior of the 'displacer chamber I59 through a tube I54 of relatively small diam eter. A displacer I55, in the form of a cylindrical. body that is only slightly less in diameter than the displacer chamber; is attached at its upper end to the extension I30 0f the wick carrier I28. Consequently, when the wick carrier is lifted'by means of the stem l3! to elevate the wick, and, at the same time, to close the needle valve II2, as just described, it will also lift the displacer I55 and allowliquid corresponding in volume to the formerly submerged end of the'dis'pl'acer to flow froin'the compartment A through the tube I54 into the displacer chamber attaining therein the level prevailing in said compartment.

The chamber 65 is vented above the maximum liquid level through a vent tube I55 that opens through and rises from the bottom wall of the chamber, and excess liquid fuel inadvertently delivered to the compartment A of the chamber E5 escapesthrough an overflow pipe l5? that is shown as sealed within an aperture in the bottom wall of the chamber and as extending a substantial distance below the apparatus so as to avoid possibility ofthe excess fuel being ignited from the burner.

As 'brought out in the above identified applications, it is desirable" to close the bottom of the apparatus against the ingress of water when the apparatus is shut down between operations. This is accomplished by what'we shall'term a bottom clamp "which, when in closing position, sustains thewick' I29 and'the displacer I55 elevated and the needlevalve H2" closed.

The bottom clamp includes an arm It'll, desir ably of channel formation, that is pivoted-at one end on across pin E'GI supported from the burner housing I-Oby brackets I62. Loosely connected to thearm I60; by pin I63, is a closure PM, equipped; with a gasket i-tb whichis arransed to seat against the beforementionedflanged collar 42. Theclosure is yieldingly held with said gasket compressed against the collar by a spring I66 that surrounds the pin I63 and is compressed between the web of the channel that constitutes the arm I60 and the underside of the closure I64.. For similar cooperation with the bottom of the housing I45 is a closure I61, fitted with a gasket I68, and loosely connected tothe free end of the arm I60 by a pin I69. A spring I surounds said pin and is compressed between the arm and cover I61.

Side branches of a forked lever I depend on opposite-sides of the chamber 65 and are journaled on pins I16 that extend from the side walls of the chamber. .Pivotally connected to the lower ends of thebranches of saidlever I15 arelinks I18 which have their opposite ends similarly connected to the arm I60. A relatively heavy spring I60 has its upper end anchored to an ear I8I on the bottom of the chamber 65 and its opposite end attached to the arm- I60, the spring tending to lift the arm and hold the closures I64 and, I61 firmlyagainst the flanged collar 42 and the housing I45, respectively, thereby to seal the bottom of the apparatus and, incidentally, hold the stem I3I elevated, along with the wick I29 and the displacer I55, as previously explained. The parts are illustrated in this condition in Fig. 1. By swinging the lever I15 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 2, and which may be done from a remote location by means consisting of or including a, rod I65 that is pivotally connected to the upperend of the lever, the arm I60 may be swung in opposition to the spring I80 to the position shown in Fig.2, wherein the closures I64 and I61 are lowered away from the parts wherewith they cooperate. When thrown to this position, a toggle joint constituted of the links I18 and the lower parts of the side branches of the lever I15 pass through dead center, so to speak, as illustrated in Fig. 2, under which conditions the branches of the lever I15 engage stops I86 on the sides of the chamber 65.

When the bottom clamp is lowered in the manner just described in order to set the apparatus in condition for use, the stem i3I is released and allowed to drop to the position shown in Fig. 2, such action being insured by the spring I43. The descent of the stem is arrested by engagement of the nut I35 with the top of the tube I34. When the stem descends it lowers the wick suficiently ,to start a siphoning of the liquid fuel over the partition I25 from compartment A to compartment B, from which latter compartment the fuel flows through the pipe I26 to the retort 60. Simultaneously with the lowering of the wick, the displacer IE5 is depressed within the chamber I50, causing instantaneous displacement of liquid fuel from said chamber over the lip I5I into the trough C from which it flows bygravity through the pipe I53 to the bottom of the burner bowl I. The fuel flowing into the bowl will immediately. saturate the wick 6 and,now, by closing a circuit (not shown) that includes the electrical igniter 53, the igniting coil 56 thereof may be heated to generate vapors from the wick and ignite them and, through them, the liquid fuel in the bottom of the bowl I. During initial stage of combustion, primary air is admitted through the lower perforations 8, andsecondar air through the perforations thereabove and through the annular slot between the top 2 of the burner bowl and the partition I5. The products of combustion rising through the openings 3 and I6 into the combustion chamber will heat the retort 60 and vapo ize the fuel supplied thereto through the pipe I26; Vapors generated within the retort will descend through the tube 62 and will be discharged there from centrally within the burner bowl I, .where they will mix with primary air admitted, under the present demands, through all the perforations 8. Secondary air will be supplied through the annular slot between the wall 2 and partition I5, and the resultant voluminous flame will rise within the combustion chamber about the ,retort, maintaining the same at a high degree of temperature and at the same time heating the contents of the circulating element or coil 25. About the same time the igniter 53 is energized, current is supplied to the motor 36 which operates the blower 35 to supply air through the conduit I6 to the burner housing I0.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the bottom of the burner bowl I constitutes a preheating means of the liquid fuel combustion type for Initially heating the retort 60; and that a main burner is constituted of the vapor tube 62 and the surrounding portion of the burner bowl. As explained earlier herein, liquid fuel is present in the bowl only when the burner is being primed for. starting.

When it is desired to shut down the apparatus, the current to the motor 36 is turned off and the lever I15 is swung toward the left, as the parts are viewed in the drawings, thereby to allow the spring I to lift the arm I60 and apply the closures I64 and I61 to the parts against which they seat, the closure I61 engaging the head I4I of the wick stem I3I and lifting it and consequently the wick I29 and the displacer I65. By the same action, the needle valve H2 is moved to closed position.

In order to render automatic the starting and stopping .of the fan 35 when the apparatus is placed incondition for operation and when it is shut down, respectively, we provide the circuit shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. It includes a battery 250, a switch 25I and the motor 36 of the aforesaid fan. I he switch 25I, ashere. illustrated, comprises an arm that tends to swing into engagement with a contact point under the influence of a spring 252, and said arm isin the path of the lever I I15 and is held out of engagement with said contact point when the lever is in the position it occupies when the apparatus is shut down, as shown inFig. 1.

Now, when the lever I15 is pulled by the rod I to its other position in order to condition the apparatus for operation, the arm of the switch 25I is released and swings into engage ment with the contact point, thereby to close the circuit and energize the fan motor 36, the current flowing from the battery 250, through conductor 253, motor 36, conductor 254, the groundfconductor 255, switch 25I and. conductor 25s to the battery.

Havingthus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In liquid fuel burning apparatus, a vapor-. izing burner including a retort and a preheating means of the liquid-fuel combustion type for preheating the retort, a liquid fuel supply in communication with the retort, shutoff means that is adapted to be shifted between a first position in which it shuts off the supply of fuel to the retort and a second position wherein flow of fuel to the retort is permitted, a displacement chamber having an overflow passage, means for supplying fuel to said chamber to an elevation below said passage, a displacer movable up and down. in; said chamben. operative connections between: the shutoff 1 means and: -said-1wdisplacer whereby'when-said meansis moved. to first: position: it elevates :the. displacer and when .moved to second position-it depresses-thedisplacer thereby to.- displaces-liquid from.-.-said chamber.- through said, overfiow..passage,-. and; means for conveying liquid displaced-from the chamber to thepreheating means.

' and means... ionconveying. the displaced fuel to the. preheating; means. v 3. In liquid. fuel burning apparatus, a vaporizing burner. including a.. retort.,. a preheating meansof the-- liquidsfuel combustion type for .pceheatingwthe. retort,.; a reservoir, means. supplyingliquid. fuel'thereto; means maintaining. a substantially constant liquid level .in the reservoir; means-conveying fiuelirom thereservoir to the retort of the main burner, a. displacer chamber communicating. with the: reservoir to receive:- fuel therefrom by, gravity, said chamber having an overflow passage above said. liquid level, meansoperable. to-.:ca.use fuel to bef-ed from the reservoiritothe retort; and-a displacer movable upr anddown said chamber: and having .operative connect-ion with. the last mentioned. means and depressed thereby when. said last mentioned. means, is actuated: so as. to displace tu-el. from-saidwhamberx through said: passage, andimeansnconveying, the displacedc fuel to. the preheating, means. 1

4": I -n.-liqui-d7 f-uelburningapparatus, awvaporizing burner including; a/retortan'd apreheating means. ofth-e: liquid-fuelcombustion type for preheating-saidretorh. a". fuelvcontainer, conduit means throughwhich; fuel-is conveyed from I constant liquid.- level in thecontainer, a flow control meansshiftable between a first position wherein it. arrests. flow: of" fiuel from the. con tainer to-rthe retort and/a :secondpositiom wherein .it establishes suchfiow, adisplacement chamber communicating with the container in such manner that: fuel willfiow from.thercontainer to said chamber to' the height of-.- the aforesaid liquid. level. but will not: readily return to the container, said chamber having anoverflow passage above said. liquid, level, a ,displacer movable up and down. in-sa-i-cl chamber and. operas tively-connected. tothe aforesaid flow control means. sothat when said fiowcontro1.-means.is moved; to: first position it. will elevate'the disrplacer and when moved .to second position it will depress zthes displaces thereby to displace liquid i'romnthechamber through said. passage, and conduit. meansaby which. the.v displaced .fuelis conveyed: tov the preheating, means..

J 5.. Inv liquid, fuel-burning apparatusa vaporizaing. burner-. including. a. retort land a. preheating til burner. meansof the liquid-fuel combustion type for preheating.saidretort, a fuel container, conduit means. through which fuel is conveyed from said container to. the. retort, .a liquidfuel. supply communicatingwiththe container, at valvefor shuttingoff the; supply of fuel tothe container, means biasing saidvalvetoward open position, aliquid level. control means-maintaining asubstantially constantliquid level in the container, a flow control-means: shiftable. between. a first position. wherein it arrests. flow of fuel v from. the container to the retort ands-a second. position wherein .it establishes such flow, av displacement chamber communicating withthe container in such, manner that. fuel will flow from the cons tainer' to -said chamber to the. height of the aforesaid-liquid, level. but. will. notr readily return to; the container, said chamber having=an.. over.- flow passage. above. said. liquid. level, a displacer movable u-p..-. and :down in said chamber endoperativelyconnectedlto the: aforesaid. flow control means so that-when said flow control meansis movedv to first position. it. will; elevate. the displacer and when moved to second position it will depress the. displacer thereby to displace liquid from the chamber throughsaiclpassagn, conduit means by whichthe displacedfuel is conveyed to the preheating means, andimeans through. which the flow control means. maintains theaforesaid Valve. closed when-said. fiow controllmeans is. in first position.

6. In liquid fuelburning,apparatus, a vaporiziing, burner includinga, retort and. a. combustion device therebelow anda. casing. enclosing. the re.- tortand combustion device, said casing having an opening. that opens. to the atmosphere. in. the re ion;OfsaidcOmbustion device and being other.- wise closed from thebottom thereof toan elevation. above. said. device, a..container for. liquid fuel, conduit. .meansfor conducting fuel from said container tothe. retort and. to. the combos.- tion device, flow control means in the container that is shiftable between a first position wherein it arrests flow of fuel to the retort and a second position wherein it establishes such flow, means actuated by said fiow control means when shifted to first position. for causing a. measured. amount of fuel to be fed from the container to the combustion device for preheating the retort, the flow control means having an operating part outside the container for shifting the fiow control means betweenfirst and second positions, the container including a part surrounding said operating means. and defining an opening through... which access is had tosaid operating means, and. a structure including closures for. the opening. of

. the aforesaid casing and-for. the. last mentioned opening and which is shiftable in. one direction to. remove the closures from saidopenings and in another. direction to apply said closures to the openings, the 1 closure. for the second mentioned opening engaging said operating. means when moved to closed position thereby to shiftv the flow control means to. second position.

7. In liquid fuel burning appanatuaa vaporizing burner including a. retort. and a. combustion device therebelow and a.casing enclosing the retort and combustion; device, saidlcasinghaving anopening. that opens tothe atmosphere in the region. ofsaid combustion. device and being otherwise closed from the bottom thereof to an elevationabovesaid. device, acontainer for. liquid fuel; conduit means for conducting fuel from said container tothe retort andto thecombustiondevice, flow. control. means. in.the. container that is shiftable between a high position wherein it arrests flow of fuelto the retort and a low position wherein it establishes such flow, means actuated by said flow control means when shifted to low position for causing a measured amount of fuel to be fed from the container to the combustion device for preheating the retort, the flow control means having an operating part outside the container for shifting the flow control meansbetween low and high positions, the container including a housing surrounding said operating means and provided with an opening through which access is had to said operating means, and a structure including closures for the opening of the aforesaid casing and for the opening of said housing shiftable in one direction to remove the closures from said openings and in another direction to apply said closures to the openings, the closure for the opening of said housing engaging said operating means when moved to closed position thereby to shift the flow control means to high position.

8. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a substantially horizontal partition disposed across said casing for separating the same into a combustion chamber above the partition and an air chamber below said partition, the partition having an opening, a retort located in the combustion chamber, a receptacle within the air chamber having a perforated peripheral wall and the interior of which communicates with the combustion space through the aforesaid opening, the lowest of the perforations of said peripheral wall being spaced a substantial distance above the bottom of the receptacle, a vapor delivery tube that opens at its upper end into the retort above the maximum fuel level therein and at its lower end into said receptacle, a liquid fuel supply, fuel conveying means leading from the supply to the retort and to said receptacle, and control means incorporated in said fuel conveying means and operable to cause fuel to be conveyed from said liquid fuel supply to the retort continuously for prolonged periods of time and for a limited initial period of time only to said receptacle.

9. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a partition disposed horizontally across the casing and dividing it into a combustion chamber above said partition and an air chamber below the partition, said partition having an opening through which said chambers communicate, a burner bowl in the air chamber, said bowl having an annular top wall spaced from said partition with its opening'substantially in alignment with the opening in the partition, the peripheral wall of the bowl having perforations sufficiently above the bottom of the bowl to provide a liquid. fuel sump below said perforations, a retort supported within the combustion chamber above the opening in said partition, a vapor delivery tube extending from above the maximum liquid level in, and downwardly through the bottom of, the retort and terminating within said bowl, and means for supplying liquid fuel to the retort and to the burner bowl.

10. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a partition disposed horizontally across the casing and dividing it into a combustion chamber above said partition and an air chamber below the partition, said partition having an opening through which said chambers communicate, a burner bowl in the air chamber, said bowl having an annular top wall spaced from said partition with its opening substantially in alignment with the opening in the partition, the peripheral wall of the bowl having perforations sufficiently above the bottom of the bowl to provide a liquid fuel sump below said perforations, a retort supported within the combustion chamber above the opening in said partition, a vapor delivery tube extending from above the maximum liquid level in, and downwardly through the bottom of, the retort and terminating within said bowl,-means for supplying liquid fuel to the retort and to said sump, and an electrical igniter situated in the burner bowl adjacent the sump.

11. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a partition disposed horizontally across the casing and dividing it into a combustion chamber above said partition and an air chamber below the partition, said partition having an opening through which said chambers communicate, a burner bowl in the chamber, said bowl having an annular top wall spaced from said partition with its opening substantially in alignment with the opening in the partition, the peripheral wall of the bowl having perforations sumciently above the bottom of the bowl to provide a liquid fuel sump below said perforations, a retort supported within the combustion chamber above the opening in the aforesaid partition, a vapor deliverytube extending from above the maximum liquid level in, and downwardly through the bottom of, the retort and terminating within said bowl, the retort having a laterally extending sump adjacent its lower end, a liquid fuel supply pipe extending inwardly through the adjacent wall of the casing and communicatively connected with said sump, and a second liquid fuel supply pipe extending through the casing wall and communicatively connected to the bottom portion of the burner bowl.

12. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a partition disposed horizontally across the casing and dividing it into a combustion chamber above said partition and an air chamber below the partition, said partition having an opening through which said chambers communicate, a. burner bowl in the air chamber having an annular top wall spaced from said partition with its opening substantially in alignment with the opening in the partition, the peripheral wall of the bowl having perforations sufliciently above the bottom of the bowl to provide a liquid fuel sump below said perforations, a retort supported within the combustion chamber above the open ing in the aforesaid partition, a vapor delivery tube extending from above the maximum liquid level in, and downwardly through the bottom of the retort and terminating within said bowl, means for supplying liquid fuel to the retort and to said sump, and means for supplying air to the air chamber.

13. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a partition disposed horizontally across the casing and dividing it into a combustion chamber above said partition and an air chamber below the partition, said partition having an opening through which said chambers communicate, a burner bowl in the air chamber having an annular top wall spaced from said partition with its opening substantially in alignment with the opening in the partition, the peripheral wall of the bowl having perforations sufficiently above the bottom of the bowl to provide a liquid fuel sump below said perforations, a retort supported within the combustion chamber above the opening in the aforesaid partition, a vapor delivery tube extending from above the maximum liquid entrant portion, and an electrical igniter supported within. said reentrant portion in proxlmity to the upper end of the wick.

14. A liquid fuel burner comprising a casing, a substantially horizontal partition disposed across said casing for separating the same into a, combustion chamber above the partition and an air chamber below said partition, the partition having an opening, a relatively slender vertically disposed retort located in and substantially centrally of the combustion chamber, a receptacle within the air chamber having a perforated peripheral wall and the interior of which communicates with the combustion space through the aforesaid opening, the lowest of the perforations of said peripheral wall being spaced a substantial distance above the bottom of the receptacle, a vapor delivery tube that opens at its upper end into the retort above the maximum fuel level therein and at its lower end into said receptacle, a liquid fuel supply, fuel conveying means leading from said supply to the retort and to said receptacle, and control means incorporated in said fuel conveying means and operable to cause fuel to be conveyed from said liquid fuel supply to the retort continuously for prolonged periods of time and for a limited initial period of time to said receptacle only, the space surrounding the retort providing accommodations for an annular liquid circulating element in the combustion chamber.

15. In liquid fuel burning apparatus, a vaporizing burner including a retort, a receptacle having a top opening and so related to the retort that combustion of liquid fuel in the receptacle will preheat the retort, a liquid fuel supply, fuel conveying and control means for continuously delivering fuel from said supply to the vaporizing burner during each period of operation of the apparatus, and further means included in said fuel conveying and control means by which a given quantity of fuel from said supply is segregated in said receptacle at the beginning of each such period, the liquid fuel supply and said conveying means being so related to the burner and to said receptacle that fuel is fed by gravity from the supply to the burner and receptacle.

16. The combination of elements defined in claim 15, combined with means providing a passage through which combustion air is supplied to the burner, a shutter for said passage, mechanism for opening and closing the shutter, and a shutoif device for the fuel conveying means including a movable part that occupies a given position when the shut-off device is in condition to prevent conveyance of fuel to the burner and receptacle, the aforesaid mechanism incorporating a member that moves in unison with the shutter and that is so located as toblock movement of said part of the shut-off device from said given position when the mechanism is in shutter closing condition.

MARC RESEK. HAROLD KIEFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,332 Sabins June 8, 1943 511,694 Grant 1- Dec. 26, 1893 1,234,326 Fuller July 24, 1917 1,236,416 Fink Aug. 14, 1917 1,283,109 Doble Oct. 29, 1918 1,329,052 Lukaszewski Jan. 27, 1920 1,337,498 Alsberg Apr. 20, 1920 1,412,325 Widerwax Apr. 11, 1922 1,505,745 Stromquist Aug. 19, 1924 1,640,240 Kirchen Aug. 23, 1927 2,053,236 Conant Sept. 1, 1936 2,355,418 Breese et al. Aug. 8, 1944 2,393,411 Resek Jan. 22, 1946 

